You Heard Me
by parallelpandora
Summary: Danny notices something about Steve... just a little twoshot. Friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:  
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**This is a short two-part story already written - the first chapter will be posted now and the next chapter next week. Because of old previous unfinished WIPs I've decided to only post stories once completed!**

**This is my first H50 fic so I'm pretty nervous about it... it's just a little bunny I had because there's always gunshots and explosions on the show, particularly around Steve and they never wear any hearing protection... I don't have a beta so any mistakes are all mine.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me I do not own the show. Oh, how I wish I did.**

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><p>Danny had started to notice things.<p>

Like how Steve always had to drive. And if he did (reluctantly) agree to take the passenger seat, he goaded Danny into rant mode.

And he always had be walking next to Danny's left side. Never his right, always his left.

And how when he saw someone walk to Steve's left and start talking to him, he'd somehow always manage to walk around them, doing something, until he was on their left side.

This got Danny thinking. Either his partner had some OCD tendencies, which was, let's face it, very possible, _or_… he was deaf in his left ear.

He didn't want to come straight out and ask Steve because he knew that he would just deny it and just be way more stealthy about the whole thing. But with his fondness for heavy armory and explosions it was a highly likely possibility and Danny just had to find out for sure.

The next time he was at Steve's house and Steve had just run upstairs to get something, Danny flicked on the TV. Sure enough, the sound blasted through the room.

And the next time Steve grabbed at Danny's keys, Danny held them away from him.

"No!" exclaimed Danny. "It's MY car and I want to drive it, thankyou very much!"

"But," said Steve, reaching for the keys again.

"No! Stiff shit, McGarrett."

"Danno…"

"Don't Danno me…" said Danny, heading for the driver's side door. "Only Grace gets away with stuff using that. Now shut it and get in."

Steve frowned and got into the passenger seat with an exaggerated sigh. As Danny drove, Steve did everything he could to goad Danny into an argument. He pushed every button, from pineapple on pizza to New Jersey. Nothing, nothing was making Danny angry.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Steve.

"Nothing," said Danny softly.

"What?"

"Nuh-thing," said Danny, looking over at him and sounding out the words.

"Then why are you acting so… not you?" asked Steve.

"Because I'm concentrating on driving safely like a _sane_ person, and I'd like to know if you're hearing anything I'm saying anyway," said Danny even more softly, looking away out the driver's side window. "Aliens at the zoo, aliens at the zoo."

"Whatever," said Steve. He gave up and looked out the window.

Danny shook his head and looked at him.

"What?"

"You and I, my friend," said Danny loudly. "Are going to have a talk when we get back to the office."

Steve frowned like he'd missed the punch line of a joke.

"Uh, okay," said Steve, putting his hands up in mock surrender.

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><p>"You're deaf," said Danny loudly. He leant forward and placed his hands onto the computer table, looking directly across at Steve. They were finally alone in the office.<p>

"Excuse me?" said Steve, crossing his arms and cocking his head to the side to glare at Danny.

"Well," said Danny. "You may not have heard me, due to you know, being deaf and all, so I'll say it again. You're _deaf_."

"I heard you, Danny," said Steve, twitching his nose into Aneurysm face. "I just don't agree with you. My hearing is fine."

"Sure it is," said Danny, smiling.

"Look," said Steve. "I don't know where you're getting this from, but you're way off base."

"Oh, I am?" said Danny, eyebrows rising. "What was that little conversation we had in the car earlier?"

"Well, as I remember," said Steve. "It wasn't really much of a conversation, considering you know, you barely talked the whole time."

"Oh, but I did," said Danny. "But you missed it! Did you not hear the part about the aliens at the zoo?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" exclaimed Steve.

"Aliens at the freaking zoo, Steve!" yelled Danny, gesticulating wildly. "While you thought I was not talking, I said 'aliens at the zoo, aliens at the zoo' but you didn't hear a word I said," said Danny.

"Well, _Danny_," said Steve, arms still crossed. "I probably just zoned you out considering that makes _no sense at all_."

Danny frowned and narrowed his eyes at Steve. "Steven."

"_Daniel_."

"Look, I know you don't want to hear this," said Danny. Steve scoffed.

"But. But wait, listen to me. I am a detective, I have evidence," said Danny.

"Evidence?"

"Yeah, evidence," said Danny, holding up his hand to count using his fingers. "One, you always have to walk on my left side, everybody's left side. If you're not on the left side you somehow manage to go around to the left side. Two, you have to drive, which is the left side of the car. Three, your TV is up way too loud, I checked the last time I came over. And there is my evidence that you, Steven J McGarrett, are deaf in your left ear."

Steve clenched his jaw before speaking. "As far as 'evidence' goes Danny, that's pretty circumstantial. And I can explain all of those things."

"Go on then," said Danny, waiving his hand, trying to hide his shit-eating grin.

"I like to drive," said Steve, his arms dropping onto the computer table. "As you said once, I may, _may_ have control issues. And I like being on the left side of people, it reminds me of driving, I feel more comfortable on the left. My TV was on loud because the last time I had it on, _we_ were watching a football game. This might come as a surprise to you but I don't watch much TV."

Danny squinted at him. "You're lying."

"Prove it," said Steve, crossing his arms again.

Danny shrugged. "Take a hearing test."

Steve frowned. "No."

"Why?" said Danny. "If you can hear, then why won't you take a hearing test?"

"I'm not deaf," said Steve. "So I don't need a hearing test."

"But I say you are, and it would prove me wrong if you're right," said Danny. "What, are you scared? Or is it because you already know that I'm right?"

"No!" said Steve. "I uh, I um… I'll take one if you do."

"Happy to," said Danny, calling his bluff.

"Fine!" yelled Steve. He turned his back on Danny and stormed into his office.

"Ha," said Danny. He smiled and walked away.

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><p><strong>TBC...<strong>

**Please review if you have the time - constructive criticism welcome :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks so much for all of the really kind reviews! I hope you like the second, final chapter of this twoshot.  
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**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just play with 'em for fun.**

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><p>"So?" asked Danny loudly, taking the seat in front of Steve's desk.<p>

"So, what?" asked Steve, not looking up from his paperwork.

"How did the test go?" asked Danny, leaning forward.

"What test?" asked Steve, still not looking up.

"What test?" asked Danny, eyebrows raised. "The _hearing_ test, Steven."

"Oh, that," said Steve. "It was fine."

"And…" said Danny.

"And what, Danny?" said Steve, looking up and rubbing his temples.

"How did you go?"

"How did _you_ go?"

"My test?" asked Danny. "Passed with flying colours. Completely normal for my age. And _you_?"

"Some loss in my left ear," mumbled Steve, looking back down.

Danny made a point to put his hand next to his ear and leant over Steve's desk. "What was that? Sorry, I didn't _hear_ you."

"I have some loss in my left ear," snapped Steve, looking at him. "There, that make you happy?"

"Happy no, but right, yes," said Danny. "How much loss are we talking here?"

"85 per cent," said Steve.

"85 per cent?" asked Danny. "That's not _some_ loss, that's almost half your hearing! What about your right ear?"

"20 per cent," said Steve quietly.

Danny sighed. "That _is_ more than half your hearing."

"Yep," said Steve, leaning back in his chair.

"How?" asked Danny. "Explosions, gunfire?"

"Pretty much," said Steve.

"Aw, man," said Danny. "I'm sorry, I mean… I knew I was right but I didn't want to be _that_ right."

Steve nodded, and ran his hand down his face.

"Can anything be done?" asked Danny.

"They, uh, recommended hearing aids," said Steve, looking away. "But that's not something I really want to do."

"But," asked Danny. "If you need them, and it means you hear better, isn't that a good thing?"

"Danny," said Steve. "Can't we just forget about this, please? So I drive more, and I walk on your left side, and I turn the TV up loud. Is that so bad?"

Danny leant back in his chair. "What if one day, and let me just throw this out there because you know it's _so_ unlikely in our line of work, but what if one day we are in a life and death situation and you don't hear me calling your name? Or Chin? Or Kono? What then?"

"Well, _if_ that ever happens, I'll look at it then," said Steve.

"But you could be dead. Or one of us could be dead," said Danny. "Just because of what, pride?"

"It's not pride," said Steve.

"What is it then?" asked Danny. "Because I'm struggling to see how this is anything but pride."

Steve stood up and walked to the window, looking out.

"I'm in the navy, Danny. I'm the head of this task force," said Steve. "I can't be…"

"What?" said Danny, very loudly because Steve's back was turned to him. Danny stood up from his chair and went over to stand next to Steve.

Steve took a moment. "Hearing impaired."

"Yes, but you are," said Danny softly, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder and turning him around slightly. "You have to deal with that."

"It'll mean a medical discharge from the reserves, and I don't know what it'll mean for five-0."

"Well, we'll talk to the Governor," said Danny. "We'll work it out."

Steve nodded and sighed. He rubbed his eyes with one hand. Before he could object, Danny pulled Steve in for an awkward hug.

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><p>Chin and Kono sat in the conference room, eating Chinese takeout, waiting for their colleagues to come back from the meeting with the Governor.<p>

Kono laid her head on her hands and looked at Chin.

"What do you think the Governor will say?" asked Kono softly.

Chin shook his head. "I really don't know, cuz…"

"I mean, he'll have to keep Steve as the head of five-0 right? He _has_ to," said Kono.

"Kono," said Chin, sitting up and putting his chopsticks down. "We'll know when Steve and Danny get back. Until then, eat, okay?"

"Yep," said Kono, picking up the nearest box.

They ate in silence for the next few minutes. Then Kono spotted Steve and Danny walk into the main office and jumped up. Chin followed her out to meet them with bated breath.

"Boss?" said Kono tentatively. "How did it go?"

Steve and Danny both smiled at her. She squealed and threw herself at Steve, hugging him tightly. Chin grinned and hugged him as soon as Kono let him go.

"What happened, brah?" asked Chin, stepping back.

"He, uh, thanked me for letting him know," said Steve. "He appreciated my candor, and said as long as I 'handled' it, it wouldn't be a problem."

"He did say that we need to keep this between us," said Danny, indicating the group. "Because he doesn't want the press."

"Oh, uh, how is that going to work?" asked Kono, frowning. "Don't you have to wear hearing aids?"

"I am," said Steve, grinning.

Kono looked at his ears.

"I don't see anything," said Kono.

"They're in-ear aids," said Steve.

"But," said Danny, waiving his hands. "But, he has to be careful with loud noise so we have to keep gunfire and explosions to a minimum, which is great news to me."

"Oh, but Danny," said Steve. "I have this, remember?" He pulled a small remote out of a pocket on his cargoes and pressed a button.

"That is not what that's supposed to be used for," said Danny.

"What? I can't hear you," said Steve loudly. He walked over to his office, Danny following closely behind.

"Steve? Steven," said Danny loudly. "That is not what that's supposed to be used for." Steve shut the door in his face.

"Charming," muttered Danny.

Kono giggled and Chin grinned.

"I have a feeling he is going to be using that quite often," said Chin, winking at Danny.

Having just received a call from the Governor about another case, Steve and Danny headed out to the Camaro. Steve automatically went to the driver's side and waited for Danny to throw him the keys.

"Wait, what?" said Danny. "I thought I would get to drive _my_ car again."

"Why would you think that?" said Steve, shrugging. "I still have control issues after all, Danno."

Danny rolled his eyes and threw him the keys. "Don't call me Danno."

"What?"

"You heard me."

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for reading! Please review if you can, it would make my day! Constructive criticism welcome :)**

**Please note I realize hearing loss isn't measured in percentages, but it was easier to write in percentages. And I don't know if Steve would need just one hearing aid or two - I'm a lazy writer, sorry! Any medical mistakes / omissions are all mine.  
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**I'm also working on a H50 cancer fic and also a major whump fic... but I won't start posting until finished so they don't become forgotten WIPs.**

**Until next time!  
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